By  ERIC  HOWARD 


of  Califon 
Regional 
Facility 


Photoplay  Plots  and  Plot 
Sources 


By 
ERIC  HOWARD 


One  of  a  Series  of  Lectures  Especially 

Prepared  for  Student-Members 

of  The  Palmer  Plan 


PALMER  PHOTOPLAY  CORPORATION 

DEPARTMENT  OF  EDUCATION 

LOS  ANGELES,  CALIFORNIA 


Copyright,  1920,  Palmer  Photoplay  Corporation,  Los  Angeles,  California 
All  Rights  Reserved 


ERIC  HOWARD 

ERIC  HOWARD,  the  author  of  "Photoplay  Plots  and  Plot 
Sources,"  was  born  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  educated  in  the 
Oakland,  California,  High  School  and  the  University  of 
California,  after  which  he  was  recognized  by  the  late  Jack  Lon- 
don as  a  promising  story  writer,  and  served  his  literary  appren- 
ticeship under  that  master.  Later  he  studied  at  Harvard  College, 
specializing  in  literature  and  psychology.  While  in  college  and 
subsequently,  he  served  as  reporter  and  dramatic  reviewer  on 
San  Francisco,  Boston  and  New  York  newspapers.  He  has  writ- 
ten several  successful  vaudeville  plays  and  has  contributed  verse 
and  fiction  to  the  magazines,  as  well  as  articles  on  Psychology 
and  the  Drama.  In  collaboration  with  George  Branson-Howard, 
he  has  'written  a  jour-act  stage  play,  "The  Alien."  During  the 
•war  he  served  as  an  enlisted  expert  in  the  psychological  depart- 
ment of  the  United  States  Army,  and  also  acted  unofficially  as 
Director  of  Education  for  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  He  has  studied  the 
screen  as  a  critic,  a  writer  of  original  stories  and  continuities, 
and  as  a  director.  Upon  his  discharge  from  the  Army,  he  became 
Chief  Assistant  to  Frederick  Palmer.  Mr.  Howard  is  a  member 
of  the  American  Poetry  Society,  the  Modern  School  Association, 
and  the  Theatre  Art  Alliance. 


IN  any  discussion  of  fiction  or  drama,  and  especially  in 
any  consideration  of  the  photoplay,  one  is  brought  at 
the  very  outset  face  to  face  with  the  problems  of  Plot. 
The  plot  forms  the  design  on  which  the  superstructure 
of  any  story  or  play  is  erected.  In  the  original  sense  of  the 
word  a  plot  was  simply  a  plot  of  ground,  and  by  usage 
it  has  come  to  mean  a  design.  A  design,  in  the  artistic 
sense,  is  a  pattern,  an  arrangement,  a  composition.  Just 
as  a  design  is  essential  to  every  picture,  and  to  every  work 
of  art,  so  is  a  plot  (which  is  the  pattern  of  the  action)- 
necessary  in  every  work  of  fiction  and  drama,  and  in 
every  photoplay.  Simple  or  complex  it  may  be,  as  the 
design  in  a  painting,  but  it  must  be  there,  fundamentally, 
or  the  play  or  story  will  be  meaningless,  chaotic  and  unde- 
signed. As  the  art  student  first  of  all  studies  Design  and 
Composition,  so  it  is  necessary  for  the  fictionist  or  photo- 
playwright  to  learn  at  the  beginning  something  of  Plot. 

Treatment  Outweighs  "Originality" 

2  The  definition  of  Plot  as  design  should  be  kept 
in  mind  by  the  writer,  for  all  too  often  one  makes  the 
mistake  of  striving  to  invent  ingenious  and  "original" 
plots.  Originality  in  writing  fiction  is  a  matter  of  treat- 
ment rather  than  of  fundamental  plot  ideas.  Shakes- 
peare, for  example,  in  all  his  works,  did  not  deal  with  a 
single  original  plot.  Even  "The  Comedy  of  Errors" 
and  "The  Taming  of  the  Shrew,"  commonly  accepted  as 
wholly  Shakespeare's,  may  be  traced  to  a  comedy  by 
Ariosto  and  one  bv  Plautus,  both  of  which  were  undoubt- 
edly familiar  to  Shakespeare.  But  no  one  will  deny  that 
in  the  use  of  his  material  Shakespeare  greatly  improved 
upon  the  sources  from  which  he  borrowed.  Many  of  his 
contemporaries  treated  the  very  same  themes  in  a  less,  dis- 
tinguished manner,  but  it  is  the  work  of  Shakespeare  that 
is  remembered  and  read  today.  That  there  is  nothing 

[3] 


new  under  the  sun  is  certainly  true  when  applied  to  plot 
material,  but,  like  most  truisms  of  its  kind,  it  frequently 
causes  mental  laziness  rather  than  the  keen,  affirmative 
attitude  that  always  characterizes  the  truly  creative  writer. 

3.  The  plots  of  contemporary   novels,  stage   plays 
and  photoplays  may  be  traced  definitely  to  ancient  and 
honorable  sources.     The  novelty  and  value  of  modern 
stories  depend  upon  the  manner  in  which  the  author  has 
used  the  original  design  and  upon  the  significance  of  his 
finished  play  to  a  modern  audience.    The  trained  writer 
has  far  less  trouble  in  finding  a  plot  than  in  giving  it  life 
and  significance  after  he  has  chosen  it.    The  first  problem 
that  confronts  the  writer  is  that  of  selection.    Which  plot 
shall  he  choose?     Quite  often  the  very  wealth  of  plot 
material   is   confusing  to   young  writers;   they  become 
"blinded  by  the  vast  supply  of  ideas  and  know  not  where 
to  seek  nor  what  to  select.     Just  as  the  average  person 
fails  to  see  the  wealth  of  beauty  Nature  unfolds  until  the 
artist  points  it  out  to  him,  so  many  writers  spend  weary 
months  in  looking  for  plot  ideas  when  they  are  every- 
where present  to  the  discerning  eye. 

Fairy  Tales  a  Source. 

4.  A  few  years  ago  I  was  visiting  one  of  America's 
most  ingenious  novelists  and  story  tellers,  a  man  with  an 
amazing  plot  ability.    His  detective  stories  are  very  well 
known,  and  he  is  credited  with  an  unusual  ingenuity  in 
the  creation  of  original  plots.    I  entered  his  library  one 
morning  and  glanced  over  many  volumes.    On  the  shelf 
of  honor,  nearest  his  favorite  chair  and  close  to  his  writing 
desk,  I  observed  a  number  of  large  and  beautiful  volumes. 
Closer  examination  showed  them  to  be  books  of  fairy 
tales,  one  and  all.    Had  the  writer  been  a  romantic  author 
of  love  stories,  I  would  not  have  been  surprised.     But 
nothing  I  had  observed  about  him  or  his  work  would  indi- 
cate his  fondness  for  such  tales.     Later  I  asked  him  to 
explain  it.    He  had  just  finished  a  very  serious  novel  of 
New  York  life,  in  which  the  hero  encountered  unusual 
adventures  and  misfortunes,  but  eventually  won  out  by  his 
courage  and  nobility.    I  had  read  the  novel  in  manuscript 
and  it  had  struck  me  as  a  very  novel  and  "original"  work. 

[4] 


The  novelist  walked  to  the  shelf  of  books  and  took  down 
a  large,  illustrated  volume.  It  was  an  edition  of  the 
"Arabian  Nights,"  with  splendid  illustrations  by  Edmund 
Diulac  which  enhanced  the  significance  of  the  stories. 

"How  long  since  you've  read  'Ali  Baba  and  the  Forty 
Thieves'?"  he  asked. 

"Oh,  many  years,"  I  answered. 

"Read  it  again  and  study  the  illustration  and  then 
you'll  see  just  where  I  got  the  idea  for  my  book.  The 
novel  is  a  modern,  Manhattan  version  of  'Ali  Baba'!" 
And  as  I  read  the  familiar  old  story,  I  could  see  just  how 
closely  he  had  followed  it,  and  just  how  marvelously  he 
had  fitted  the  design  to  modern  characters  and  a  modern 
locale.  His  central  character,  described  at  length  in  the 
novel,  was  a  highly  romanticized  Ali. 

Thirty-six  Fundamental  Situations. 

5.  Then  I  saw  the  significance  of  the  shelf  of  fairy 
tales.  Each  story  on  that  shelf  was  a  source  of  inspira- 
tion, each  was  a  plot,  a  design,  many  of  them  older  than 
the  records  of  history,  getting  down  to  the  fundamental 
human  emotions  that  were  as  true  and  interesting  in  fOOO 
B.  C,  as  they  are  today.  All  plots  are  designs  into  which 
human  actions  and  emotions  are  fitted,  which  serve  to 
reproduce  life  and  to  accentuate  its  meanings  for  the 
reader  or  the  spectator.  There  are  only  thirty-six  funda- 
mental human  emotions,  only  thirty-six  fundamental 
dramatic  situations,  and  all  plots  are  the  results  of  designs 
in  'which  these  emotions  and  situations  are  arranged. 
The  vast  panorama  of  Life  itself  is  the  plot  of  a  master 
Plotter,  involving  all  of  the  emotions  and  situations. 

Often,  to  us,  seen  through  finite  eyes  and  judged  by 
finite  minds,  the  infinite  scope  of  existence  may  seem 
chaotic  and  undesigned.  But  the  seers  and  prophets  and 
poets  of  the  race  have  been  as  gods  on  a  mountain  and 
have  perceived  the  fine  symmetry  of  the  cosmic  design. 
Every  strong  plot  that  has  been  created  by  the  human 
imagination  has  been  a  finite  reproduction  or  manifesta- 
tion of  the  cosmic  symmetry,  which  even  primitive  man 
perceived. 

7.    All  of  'us  are  familiar  with  the  story  of  "Cinder- 

[5] 


ella."  It  is  the  ever-popular,  ever-interesting  and  ever- 
dramatic  story.  Miss  M.  R.  Cox,  in  her  book  on  "Cin- 
derella," has  traced  three  hundred  and  forty-five  variants 
of  the  Cinderella  story.  It  has  existed  among  all  peoples, 
seemingly  from  the  beginning  of  time.  Its  earliest  classic 
form  is  probably,  the  story  of  Rhodopis,  the  "rosy- 
cheeked,"  whose  sandal  was  snatched  away  by  an  eagle 
and  carried  to  the  King  Psammetichus  at  Memphis,  who 
searched  the  world  for  the  owner  of  the  sandal  and  finally 
found  her.  A  slightly  different  version  of  the  story  of 
Rhodopis  is  suggested  by  a  fragment  of  Sappho,  whose 
brother  is  said  to  have  found  Rhodopis  in  slavery  and  to 
have  freed  her  because  of  her  beauty.  Charaxus,  the 
brother  of  Sappho,  is  perhaps  the  original  Prince  of  the 
tale.  Thus  the  story  was  familiar  in  600  B.  C. 

8.  But  let  it  not  be  supposed  that  we  have  traced  it 
to  its  origin,  for  in  all  probability  it  springs  from  a  pre- 
historic nature  myth,  according  to  which  the  dawn  (Cin- 
derella) was  oppressed  by  night  clouds  (cruel  relatives) 
and  rescued  by  the  sun  (the  Prince).  Most  of  the  plots 
of  today  may  be  traced  in  this  way  back  to  nature  myths, 
which  are  indicative  of  prehistoric  man's  tendency  to 
reproduce  the  design  of  Nature  in  human,  understandable 
terms. 

The  Reason  for  Fiction. 

Therein  lies  the  reason  for  fiction.  It  serves  to  give 
the  reader  or  the  spectator  a  wide  sense  of  life,  greater 
and  more  objective  than  that  he  has  personally  expe- 
rienced. The  ancient  minstrel  was  one  ivho  could  sing 
of  marvels,  and  so  carry  the  imagination  of  his  auditors 
away  from  their  own  narrow  existence  into  a  broader, 
freer  realm  of  fancy.  The  fictionist  of  today  fulfills  a 
similar  task.  And  the  photoplaywright  especially,  with 
his  international  audience  of  millions,  possesses  the  magic 
language  of  action — by  which  emotion  is  invariably 
expressed — to  make  his  appeal  and  to  carry  his  audience 
into  the  realm  of  fancy. 

10.  But  always,  as  in  the  Cinderella  story,  there 
must  be  a  sound  natural  basis — the  design  must  be  pat- 
terned after  that  of  Nature,  for  otherwise  it  will  have  no 

[6] 


significance  for  the  audience.  Having  been  popular,  in 
one  form  and  another,  for  twenty-five  hundred  years,  it  is 
not  to  be  doubted  that  the  story  of  Cinderella  will  con- 
tinue to  appeal.  Among  the  stage  successes-ef  recent  years 
which  have  followed  the  ancient  pattern,  one  may  name : 
The  Marriage  of  Kitty  Smith,  The  Rejuvenation  of  Aunt 
Mary,  The  Real  Thing,  Kitty  McKay,  Peg  o  My  Heart, 
Years  of  Discretion,  The  Wishing  Ring,  Fanchon,  Merely 
Mary  Ann,  Caprice,  The  Trail  of  the  Lonesome  Pine, 
Prunella,  Daddy  Long  Legs,  The  Brat,  and  Pollyanna. 
Among  novels  of  the  day  the  list  is  interminable.  Count- 
less photoplays  have  been  developed  upon  the  same  pat- 
tern, which,  if  skillfully  used,  seem  to  carry  the  assurance 
of  success. 

11.  The  fairy  tale  of  Prince  Cophetua  and  the  beg- 
gar maid  is  a  variant  of  Cinderella  that  brings  out  even 
more  clearly  the  basic  conflict  and  the  contrasting  char- 
acters.   The  rich  man,  the  poor  girl,  her  misfortune,  his 
protecting  influence — these  are  the  fundamental  plot  ele- 
ments of  many  successful  stories,  varying  in  the  novelty 
and   distinction   the   individual    author   brings   to   their 
treatment. 

A  Classic  Myth. 

12.  Less  definitely  the  classic  myth  of  Pygmalion 
and  Galatea  is  a  variant  of  the  same  plot  idea.    Pygma- 
lion, you  will  remember,  fell  in  love  with  the  ivory  image 
of  a  maiden  he  himself  had  made,  and  prayed  to  Aphro- 
dite to  breathe  life  into  her.    The  request  was  granted 
and   he  married  her.    Pygmalion   is   a  mythical   char- 
acter and  the  story  a  mvth,  but  it  is  the  source  of  a  great 
deal  of  modern  poetry  and  fiction.    To  cite  a  clear  exam- 
ple, Bernard  Shaw  gave  us  his  brilliant  drama  entitled 
"Pygmalion"  only  a  few  years  ago,  in  which  he  made  use 
of  the  old  pattern  in  a  new  and  delightful  way.    William 
Morris,    in    The    Earthly    Paradise,    gives    a    beautiful 
poetic  rendering  of  this  legend. 

13.  I    have  mentioned  the  "Arabian  Nights."    The 
plots  that  owe  their  origin  to  it  are  incalculable  in  num- 
ber, and  its  pages  are  alive  with  suggestions  and  inspira- 
tions.     Similarly  all  legends,  myths,  and  fairy  tales  are 

[7] 


suggestive  of  plots  and  are  the  patterns  upon  which 
modern  stories  may  be  written.  Aesop,  Grimm,  Ander- 
son, La  Fontaine  and  the  many  books  of  Andrew  Lang 
all  contain  the  suggestions  and  ideas  that  have  been 
entertaining  and  instructive  to  men  of  all  time. 

Modern  Legends. 

14.  Not  only   in   ancient   legends   are   plots   to   be 
found,   but  in   the  popular  legends   of   modern  places. 
Certain  sections  of  our  country  possess  a  romantic  inter- 
est of  this  kind.    We  are  all  acquainted  with  the  story 
of  Pocahontas,   for  example,  which   has  served  as  the 
basis  of  an  infinite  number  of  Indian  plays  and  photo- 
plays.   The  legends  of  the  Colonial  period,  Indian  folk- 
lore, such  as  the  story  of  Hiawatha,  tales  told  by  old 
inhabitants  in  almost  any  primitive  section  of  the  coun- 
try— all  this  is  material  for  the  creative  author.     Natu- 
rally such  legends  are  not  in  themselves  effective  photo- 
play plots,  but  many  of  them  contain  the  basis,  the  germ, 
of  strong  and  appealing  stories.    In  the  work  of  develop- 
ing such  germs,  of  modernizing  and  dramatizing  them, 
the  creative  author  has  a  sufficiently  difficult  task.    Here 
is  the  design,  here  is  the  bare  skeleton — but  the  task  of 
giving  it  the  color  and  harmony  and  strength  of  reality 
yet  remains.     I  do  not  wish  to  convey  that  the  task  of 
creative  writing  is  an  easy  one,  that  plots  may  be  found 
ready-made  wherever  one  looks.    But   rather,  by   indi- 
cating the   chief   original   sources  of   plots,   I   hope  to 
suggest  new   themes   and   subjects    that   are   worthy  of 
imaginative  treatment.     Gold  is  where  you  find  it — but 
it  must  be  mined  and  milled  and  minted  before  it  can  be 
exchanged  for  other  commodities. 

15.  Only  the  other  day,  in  reading  so  recent  a  book 
as  Mary  Austin's  "Land  of  Little  Rain,"  I  was  impressed 
with  the  legendary  nature  of  primitive  life.     In  that 
book,  Mrs.  Austin  writes  of  the  Mojave  desert  and  the 
towns  that  border  it — forsaken  "boom"  towns,  for  the 
greater  part,  each  with  its  half-mythical  history,  its  almost 
legendary  characters,  and  its  one  or  two  word-of-mouth 
historians  who  are  willing  to  talk  of  the  glorious  days 
that  are  past  and  gone.     An  old   Spaniard,  who  still 

[8] 


remembers  the  days  before  the  Gringoes  came  to  Cali- 
fornia, has  told  me  more  interesting  stories  than  I  shall 
ever  have  time  to  write,  most  of  them  legendary  in  that 
they  deal  with  a  time  that  is  past  and  largely  unrecorded. 
Another  friend,  who  mushed  over  the  Chilcoot  pass  in 
the  vanguard  of  the  Klondike  rush,  is  a  mine  of  Alaskan 
tales,  also  largely  legendary,  the  product  of  time  and 
many  men's  imagination.  Whenever  one  comes  in  con- 
tact with  the  primitive  conditions  or  primitive  minds  one 
finds  variants  of  the  legends  that  are  recorded  in  the  most 
ancient  books.  And  because  drama  must  deal,  to  be  gen- 
erally appealing,  with  universal  and  fundamental  emo- 
tions, such  legends  are  the  source  of  the  most  dramatic 
plots. 

A  Suggestive  List. 

16.  In  this  connection  it  will  be  sufficient  to  men- 
tion in  passing  some  of  the  stories  that  have  been  adapted 
by   modern   writers   and   developed   into   pleasing   and 
effective  plots.     Consider  such  stories  as  Aladdin  and 
the  Wonderful  Lamp;  Alice  in  Wonderland;  Beauty  and 
the  Beast;  Bluebeard;  The  Cat  and  the  Mouse   (from 
Aesop);  the  Changeling;  the  Fountain  of  Youth;  Sir 
Galahad;  the  Golden  Goose;  Goldilocks  and  the  Three 
Bears;  Hiawatha;  King  Midas;  Red  Riding  Hood;  the 
Miller,  His  Son  and  The  Donkey;  Pandora's  Box;  Poca- 
hontas;  The  Pot  of  Gold;  The  Prince  Who  Found  His 
Heart;  William  Tell;  Sleeping  Beauty;  Sleeping  Prin- 
cess; Snow  White,  etc.     Where  could  one  find  a  more 
fascinating  range  of  plot  ideas  than  in  this  haphazard  list, 
which  is  a  briefly  suggestive  rather  than  an  exhaustive 
survey  of  this  portion  of  the  plot  sources  we  are  consid- 
ering? 

17.  Molded  in  the  crucible  of  fancy  and  transmuted 
in  the  alembic  of  the  imagination,  these  ancient  stories 
are  as  interesting  today  as  when  the  primitive  man  laid 
aside  his  stone  hammer  to  listen  to  the  first  poet.  Chil- 
dren will  give  their  rapt  attention  to  these  tales,  and  the 
child  mind  is  often  a  better  judge  of  fiction  and  the 
photoplay  than  one  more  mature,  for,  again,  the  reason 
for  the  existence  of  the  photoplay  is  to  bear  the  tired 

m 


mind  and  the  lethargic  imagination  away  to  a  childish 
land  of  romance.  Even  the  most  realistic  of  modern 
screendrama,  if  it  is  artistic,  fulfills  this  purpose,  for  it 
introduces  the  reader  to  characters  and  places  he  other- 
wise would  not  have  known. 

18.  A  skillful   photoplaywright  can   adapt  any  or 
all  of  the  fairy  tales  mentioned^above  and  develop  them 
into  interesting  and  successful  modern  plays.    Cease  this 
feverish  questing  for  plots!     Plots  are  everywhere,  and 
there  is  other  work 'to  be  done.     Here  are  the  patterns, 
the  design  is  drawn — now  let  us  give  it  a  subtle  treat- 
ment of  Notan  (light  and  dark),  color,  perspective,  char- 
acter and  interest — to  use  the  phrases  of  the  artist.    The 
skeleton  is  here  and  it  remains  for  the  creative  writer  to 
give  it  the  heart,  the  soul,  and  the  movement  of  reality. 

The  Story  of  Midas. 

19.  Take,  haphazardly,  the  story  of  Midas.     The 
story  is  briefly  set  forth  somewhat  as  follows: 

"Midas,  son  of  Gordius  and  king  of  Phrygia,  was 
renowned  for  his  immense  riches.  In  consequence  of  his 
kind  treatment  of  Silenus,  the  companion  and  teacher  of 
Dionysus  (the  Greek  god  of  wine),  the  latter  allowed 
Midas  to  ask  a  favor  of  him.  Midas  in  his  folly  desired 
that  all  things  which  he  touched  should  be  changed  into 
gold.  The  request  was  granted;  but  as  even  the  food 
which  he  touched  became  gold,  he  implored  the  god  to 
take  his  favor  back.  Dionysus  accordingly  ordered  him 
to  bathe  in  the  sources  of  the  Pactolus.  This  bath  saved 
Midas,  but  the  river  from  that  time  had  an  abundance  of 
gold  in  its  sand  .  .  ." 

20.  There  is  more  to  the  story  of  Midas,  and  it  is 
recorded  in  many  versions,  but  the  quotation  will  serve 
to  indicate  its  value  as  a  dramatic  source.    Even  from  so 
brief   an   account  the   character  of   Midas   is   revealed. 
What  a  perfect  role  such  a  character  would  provide  for 
an    actor   of    Frank    Keenan's  distinction,  for   example! 
Midas,  the  lover  of  wealth  for  its  own  sake,  who  even- 
tually finds   that  his   prayers   for   wealth   are   so   fully 
answered  that  he  is  choked  by  it.    He  is  saved  by  bathing 
in  the  river  Pactolus,  literally  in  the  fable,  but  it  requires 

[10] 


no  great  elasticity  of  imagination  to  interpret  this  river 
as  the  river  of  Experience,  or  of  Sorrow,  or  of  Remorse, 
in  which  the  soul  of  the  man  is  saved.  Surround  such  a 
central  character  with  others  in  contrast,  give  it  a  modern 
and  living  expression,  and  a  strong  drama  will  be  the 
result. 

21.  The  other  stories  I  have  mentioned,  and  hun- 
dreds of  others  besides,  may  be  interpreted  and  developed 
in  much  the  same  way.    Indeed,  they  have  been  and  will 
continue  to  be  so  long  as  the  human  imagination  is  human, 
for  in  all  man's  experience  we  can  find  only  varying  com- 
binations of  thirty-six  fundamental  dramatic  situations. 
This  fact,  however,  is  no  more  a  limitation  of  drama  than 
the  octaves  are  a  limitation  of  music,  the  fourteen  lines  a 
limitation  of  the  sonnet,  or  the  fact  that  all  design  in  art 
is  composed  of  straight  and  curved  lines  a  limitation  of 
painting  or  sculpture. 

Classic  Sources. 

22.  Classical   literature,   other   than   the   myths,   is 
also  rich  in  suggestive  plot  ideas.     The  Iliad  and  the 
Odyssey  of  Homer,  epics  of  a  mighty  and  cultured  race, 
are  filled  with  stories  which  may  be  modernized  to  good 
advantage.  The  Aeneid  of  Virgil,  similarly,  is  of  value, 
and  the  plays  of  Sophocles,  Aeschylus  and  Euripides  con- 
tain dramatic  elements  that  have  recurred  to  this  day. 
Let  us  consider  briefly  some  of  the  stories  of  Homer,  those 
which  are  most  suggestive  of  modern  plots. 

23.  It  would  be  difficult  to  find  a  more  inspiring 
character  than  Achilles,  the  hero  of  the  Iliad,  and  his 

-adventures  rival  those  of  any  modern  hero.  The  "swift- 
footed"  Achilles  led  his  hosts  against  Troy  and  formed 
the  bulwark  of  the  Greeks.  In  the  midst  of  the  war  he 
was  compelled  to  give  up  Briseis,  a  hostage  girl  he  loved, 
and  forthwith  refused^  to  fight,  sulking  boyishly  in  his 
tent.  The  Greeks  were  fast  losing  the  war,  but  Achilles, 
like  an  angry  boy,  sulked  on  until  his  friend  Patroclus 
was  killed  by  the  Trojans.  Then  his  anger  was  aroused 
and  he  went  forth  to  avenge  the  death  of  his  friend.  His 
great  emotion  was  ambition,  but  with  it  there  was  mingled 
a  strong  pride,  an  almost  childish  sensitiveness,  and  a  great 


courage.  In  the  life  of  Achilles  there  are  hundreds  of 
plots,  and  in  the  character  itself  there  is  a  strength  and  a 
human  tenderness  that  will  always  be  interesting  in  plays, 
as  it  is  in  life. 

24.  In  the  same  way  Hercules,  whose  exploits  are 
the  most  interesting  romance  of  literature;  and  Ulysses, 
the  great  navigator  and  the  master  of  strategic  subtlety; 
and  Aeneas,  the  hero  of  a  fascinating  romance  with  Dido, 
queen  of  Carthage;  suggest  to  the  imaginative  student 
definite  plot  ideas  which  may  be  developed  and  modern- 
ized in  a  way  that  will  appeal  to  the  theatre  patrons  of 
today. 

25.  Among  classic  women,   Penelope,  the  wife  of 
Ulysses,  whose  subtlety  in  the  treatment  of  undesirable 
suitors  is  a  brilliant  revelation  of  feminine  wit;  Helen, 
who,  like  Eve,  and  her  modern  sisters,  allowed  her  vanity 
to  cause  a  great  deal  of  bloodshed  and  strife;  Circe,  the 
first  of  the  vampires,  who  met  her  match  in  Ulysses ;  Dido, 
who  according  to  one  version  chose  death  in  preference  to 
infidelity  to  the  memory  of  her  dead  husband;  may  be 
mentioned    as    suggestions.       Cleopatra,    Phryne,    and 
Sappho,  along  with  others  from  the  Bible  and  other  non- 
classical  sources,  have  already  inspired  a  great  deal  of 
modern  drama  and  fiction. 

26.  Before  passing  from  the  classic  period  I  would 
suggest  the  story  of  Cupid  and  Psyche,  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  legends  we  have  inherited  from  the  Greeks  and 
one  especially  susceptible  of  modern  treatment. 

27.  "Psyche,  'the  soul',  occurs  in  the  later  times  of 
antiquity  as  a  personification  of  the  human  soul.    Psyche 
was  the  youngest  of  the  three  daughters  of  a  king,  and 
excited  by  her  beauty  the  jealousy  and  envy  of  Aphrodite. 
In  order  to  avenee  herself,  the  goddess  ordered  Cupid  to 
inspire  Psyche  with  a  love  for  the  most  contemptible  of 
all  men;  but  Cupid  was  so  stricken  with  her  beauty  that 
he  himself  fell  in  love  with  her.     He  accordingly  con- 
veyed her  to  a  charming  spot,  where  unseen  and  unknown, 
he  visited  her  every  night,  and  left  her  as  soon  as  the  day 
began  to  dawn.    But  her  jealous  sister  made  her  believe 
that  in  the  darkness  of  night  she  was  embracing  some 
hideous  monster,  and  accordingly  once,  while  Cupid  was 

[12] 


asleep,  she  drew  near  to  him  with  a  lamp,  and,  to  her 
amazement,  beheld  the  most  handsome  and  lovely  of  the 
gods.  In  the  excitement  of  joy  and  fear,  a  drop  of  hot  oil 
fell  from  her  lamp  upon  his  shoulder.  This  awoke 
Cupid,  who  censured  her  for  her  mistrust,  and  fled. 
Psyche's  happiness  was  now  gone,  and  after  attempting  in 
vain  to  throw  herself  into  a  river,  she  wandered  about 
from  temple  to  temple,  inquiring  after  her  lover,  and  at 
length  came  to  the  palace  of  Aphrodite.  There  her  real 
sufferings  began,  for  Aphrodite  retained  her,  treated  her 
as  a  slave,  and  imposed  upon  her  the  hardest  and  most 
humiliating  labors.  Psyche  would  have  perished  under 
the  weight  of  her  sufferings,  had  not  Cupid,  who  still 
loved  her  in  secret,  invisibly  comforted  and  assisted  her 
in  her  toils.  With  his  aid  she  at  last  succeeded  in  over- 
coming the  hatred  and  jealousy  of  Aphrodite;  she  became 
immortal  and  was  united  to  him  forever.  In  this  story 
Psyche  of  course  represents  the  human  soul,  which  is  puri- 
fied by  passions  and  misfortunes,  and  thus  prepared  for 
the  enjoyment  of  true  and  pure  happiness." 

The  Bible  a  Fertile  Field. 

28.  Some  one  has  said  that  all  stories  may  be  traced 
to  the  book  of  Genesis,  in  the  Bible.  It  is  certainly  true 
that  many  plots  have  their  origin  in  the  Bible,  and  that 
many  are  suggested  bv  the  first  book.  The  Bible,  more 
than  any  other  source  we  have  considered,  is  the  complete 
expression  of  man's  attitude  towards  the  infinite,  and  it 
is  therefore  a  more  comprehensive  manifestation  in 
human  terms  of  eternal  conflicts  than  any  other  source. 
In  the  forty  chapters  of  the  book  of  Genesis,  from  the 
creation  of  Adam  and  Eve  to  the  death  of  Joseph,  almost 
every  human  emotion  is  expressed.  Consider  the  stories 
contained  within  forty  brief  chapters.  The  story  of 
Adam  and  Eve,  the  eating  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of 
knowledge,  the  punishment,  and  the  curse  upon  them. 
The  storv  of  Cain  and  Abel,  which  continually  recurs  in 
today's  fiction;  the  storv  of  Noah  and  the  flood;  the  prom- 
ised land  of  Canaan,  Abram  and  Lot;  Sari  and  Hagar; 
Lot  and  his  Wife;  Rebecca  and  Isaac;  Leah  and  Rachel; 
the  birth  of  Joseph;  Joseph  and  his  brethren;  Joseph  and 

[13] 


Potiphar's  wife;  the  interpretation  of  dreams;  Joseph's 
rise  to  power;  his  forgiveness  of  his  brethren,  etc. 

29.  One  of   these  stones — that  of  Joseph   and  his 
brethren — was   very    recently    utilized    by    an    English 
dramatist,  Louis  N.  Parker,  in  a  spectacular  play  with 
that  title.    All  of  the  other  stories  to  be  found  in  Genesis 
may  similarly  be  employed  today,  and  they  are  all  sug- 
gestive of  modern  stories  in  which  the  same  types  of  char- 
acters and  the  same  emotional  conflicts  form  the  basis  of 
the  play. 

30.  The  entire  Pentateuch,  or  first  five  books  of  the 
Old  Testament,  commonly  attributed  to  Moses,  is  rich 
in  suggestive  plot  ideas.    Stories  of  universal  and  poignant 
interest  are  to  be  found  throughout  the  Old  Testament, 
and  very  often  a  single  verse,  as  in  the  Psalms,  will  so 
clearly  set  forth  an  idea,  a  basic  conflict,  that  it  may  sug- 
gest a  complete  modern  story. 

31.  Two  books  of   the  Old  Testament,   Ruth   and 
Esther,  are  especially  interesting  from  our  point  of  view, 
for  they  are  two  of  the  finest  short  stories  in  any  language. 
Ruth's  adherence  to  Naomi  in  her  hour  of  trial,  their  suf- 
fering   and   bravery,    Ruth's    meeting   with    Boaz,    his 
acknowledgment  of  her,  their  marriage — in  this  simple 
story  we  find  three  well-constructed  and  striking  charac- 
ters.   The  plot  is  simple,  as  great  stories  are  likely  to  be, 
but  it  possesses  the  poignance  and  the  appeal  of  impres- 
sive drama.      It  has  been  adapted  for  the  stage,  in  the 
form  of  pantomimes,  many  times  and  in  a  less  obvious 
way  it  has  formed  the  design  on  which  many  novels  and 
dramas  have  been  written. 

32.  Not  long  ago  I  read  a  very  fine  story  founded 
upon  the  book  of  Esther.     It  was  a  story  of  early  Cali- 
fornia, and  the  author  had  followed  the  pattern  of  the 
Bible   story  very   closely.     Esther  was   called   Estrella, 
Mordecai  was  changed  to  Michael,  and  in  the  modern 
tale  Estrella  was  the  defender  of  her  people — the  old 
SpanisrTsettlers  of  early  California — just  as  her  ancient 
prototype  was  the  defender  of  the  oppressed  Jews  in  the 
kingdom  of  Ahasuerus.    As  I  read  the  story,  I  felt  that 
it  was  familiar,  and  the  writer  then  explained  just  where 
she  had  found  the  source  of  her  plot. 

[14] 


The  New  Testament. 

33.  The  New  Testament,   and  especially  the  four 
Gospels,  are  equally  rich  in  story  material.    The  life  and 
works  of  Christ  have  exerted  as  powerful  an  influence 
in  literature  and  drama  as  in  life,  and  many  stories  of 
today  are  in  a  large  sense  stories  of  the  Christ.      Such 
stage  successes  as  "The  Passing  of  the  Third  Floor  Back" 
and  "The  Servant  in  the  House"  are  direct  and  clear 
expressions  of  this  motif.     It  may  also  be  found,  less 
obviously  treated,  in  Shaw's  "Androcles  and  the  Lion", 
Gorki's  "Children  of  the  Sun",  and  other  modern  plays. 
In  novels  it  is  an  ever-present  and  appealing  theme,  and 
in  a  photoplay  success  of  1920,  "The  Miracle  Man",  it 
was  developed  in  a  very  beautiful  and  realistic  manner. 
Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  the  greatest  teacher  the  world  has 
known,  and  it  is  natural  that  His  life  on  earth— ^in  its 
human  and  fine  and  helpful  aspects — should  influence 
the  drama  and  literature  of  our  own  day. 

34.  In  the  lives  and  teachings  of  many  other  found- 
ers of  religion,  such  as  Gotama,  Zoroaster,  Confucius  and 
Loa-Tze,  Mohammed  and  Shinto,  the  alert  imagination 
will  find  inspiration  and  suggestions.     In  all  such  reli- 
gious works  the  value  to  the  fictionist  lies  in  the  fact  that 
they  are  the  accumulated  knowledge  and  experience  of 
the  race.    They  are  well-selected  pages  from  the  Book  of 
Life,  and  the  study  of  them  promotes  a  more  complete 
understanding  of  that  vast  Book  from  which  all  knowl- 
edge is  obtained. 

Theme  Sources. 

35.  Closely  related  to  the  works  of   religious   sig- 
nificance are  those  that  deal  with  philosophical  theory. 
Such  works,  however,  are  more  valuable  as  sources  of 
themes  than  as  definite  plot  sources.     But  very  often,  in 
even  the  most  abstruse  philosophy,  one  will  find  a  state- 
ment of  belief  or  principle  that 'definitely  expresses  a 
dramatic  conflict,  which,  by  development,  will  result  in 
a  tense  and  appealing  plot.    The  conflict  between  pagan- 
ism and  Christianity  has  thus  resulted  in  many  works  of 
the  imagination,  such  as  Shaw's  Androcles  and  the  Lion, 
already  mentioned  in  another  connection;  Merjekowski's 

[15] 


brilliant  trilogy,  Christ  and  Anti-Christ,  which  traces  the 
conflict  from  the  time  of  the  Roman  Emperor  Julian  to 
the  time  of  Peter  the  Great,  and  other  less  well-known 
works  of  contemporary  fiction.  So  too  the  conflict  be- 
tween Materialism  and  Idealism,  which  is  at  bottom  a 
strictly  philosophical  conflict,  has  formed  the  foundation 
for  plays  and  stories.  Some  of  the  novels  and  stage  plays 
that  have  found  their  way  to  motion  picture  production 
which  may  be  mentioned  in  this  class  are  Charles  Klein's 
"The  Lion  and  the  Mouse",  Jack  London's  "The  Sea 
Wolf",  and  Frank  L.  Packard's  "The  Miracle  Man." 

36.  Whether    or   not   one    reads    philosophy   with 
pleasure  one  must  have  a  personal  philosophy  of  life,  by 
which  experience  may  be  interpreted  and  made  significant 
to  the  spectator.    Writers  who  are  mature  in  their  experi- 
ence and  have  a  sound  attitude  towards  life  do  not  require 
philosophical  training,  but  young  writers  can  make  no 
mistake  in  acquiring  'a  broad  view  of  the  philosophical 
principles  that  have  influenced  mankind.     I  know  one 
poet,  for  example,  who  finds  the  works  of  Spinoza  a  con- 
tinual source  of  inspiration,  who  has  been  able  to  give  to 
the  dry  theories  of  the  pantheist  the  beauty  and  the  art  of 
lyrical  verse. 

Historical  Episodes. 

37.  In  the  acquisition  of  a  sound  insight  into  the 
motives  that  have  swayed  humanity  there  is  perhaps  no 
study  more  helpful  than  that  of  History.     Many  great 
works  of  the  imagination  have  been  developed  upon  his- 
torical episodes.     Shakespeare,  especially,  has  found  his 
plots  in  the  records  of  the  historians  and  has  then  infused 
them  with  new  life  and  character.    Modern  novelists  and 
dramatists,  no  less  than  Shakespeare,  have  followed  the 
same  practice  with  excellent  success.     Such  photoplays 
as  "Cabiria",  "The  Birth  of  a  Nation",  various  versions 
of  the  stories  of  Cleopatra  and  Salome,  "The  Fall  of  the 
Romanoffs",  etc.,  etc.,  have  been  directly  based  upon  his- 
torical facts.    And  in  a  great  many  cases  the  authors  of 
photoplays  have  found  their  material  in  the  pages  of 
history.      "The    Red    Lantern",    in    which    Nazimova 
starred,  was  adapted  from  a  book  that  was  written  upon 

[16] 


an  episode  in  Chinese  history.  "Wagon  Tracks",  a  recent 
Wm.  S.  Hart  production,  was  a  fictional  version  of  the 
history  of  the  Santa  Fe  trail.  Some  of  Rex  Beach's 
Alaskan  productions  are  largely  developed  from  authentic 
happenings.  Mrs.  Gertrude  Atherton  has  written  vol- 
umes of  fiction  that  deals  with  early  California.  And  so 
on.  History  is  merely  the  record  of  Life,  and  it  is  there- 
fore a  valuable  source  of  plot  ideas. 

Biography. 

38.  Biography,  the  branch  of  history  that  centers 
its  attention  upon  the  individual,  upon  the  protagonist, 
upon  the  hero  of  the  play,  is  perhaps  of  even  greater  value 
to  the  creative  writer,  especially  to  him  who  places  char- 
acterization above  mere  plot  action.     We  have  consid- 
ered   the   classical    heroes   whose   personalities    suggest 
stories,  but  it  will  not  do  to  ignore  the  Ulysses  and  the 
Hercules  and  the  Aeneas  of  today  and  of  yesterday.    The 
American  writer  I  mentioned  earlier  in  the  discussion 
has  written  at  least  one  hundred  stories  about  one  histor- 
ical character.     In  some  of  them  he  calls  his  hero  defi- 
nitely by  his  historical  name — Francois*  Villon.    In  others 
Villon  is  altered  to  something  else,  but  the  essential  char- 
acter of  the  man  remains  the  same.     Those  who  know 
the  rollicking,  lovable,  unscrupulous,  thieving  bard  of 
Paris,  either  from  his  poems  or  from  the  brief,  half- 
mythical  account  that  comes  down  to  us,  will  appreciate 
his  value  as  a  fiction  character.    The  successful  stage  play, 
"If  I  Were  King,"  by  Justin  Huntly  McCarthy,  which 
will  soon  be  produced  as  a  photoplay,  is  also  developed 
around  the  character  of  Villon,  and  Robert  Louis  Steven- 
son made  use  of  the  same  personality  in  one  or  two  short 
stories,  notably  the  well-known  "Lodging  for  a  Night". 

39.  Such    widely    differing    characters    as    Edgar 
Allen  Poe,  Abraham  Lincoln,   Moliere,  George  Sand, 
Shakespeare,  Leonardo  da  Vinci,  Nietzsche,  and  Beet- 
hoven have  inspired  authors  to  create  drama  and  fiction. 
In  many  cases  the  creative  writer  has  called  his  character 
definitely  by  his  historical  name,  as  in  John  Drinkwater's 
recent  play  entitled  "Abraham  Lincoln".     More  often, 
however,  the  historical  personage  has  been  the  source  of 

£17] 


the  story  and  has  been  almost  concealed  in  the  fictional 
form. 

40.  Picking  up  a  volume  about  one  of  my  own  par- 
ticular heroes,  Sir  Richard  Burton,  I  find  in  it  sufficient 
plot  material  for  a  dozen  interesting  books  and  photo- 
plays.    William  Marion  Reedy  says  of  Burton:     "He 
would  have  been  a  worthy  companion  of  Raleigh,  half- 
pirate  and  half-poet.     He  was  the  last  of  the  English 
'gentlemen  adventurers'.     He  was  a  Gipsy  genius,  and 
he  had  upon  him  such  an  urging  restlessness  as  no  man 
ever  had,  save  perhaps  the  Wandering  Jew.     His  life 
was  an  epic  of  thought,  of  investigation  and  of  adventure. 
The  track  of  his  wanderings  traced  the  globe."     He 
searched  for  the  sources  of  the  Nile,  he  explored  un- 
known Africa,  he  lived  among  the  Mormons  in  Salt  Lake 
City,  he  wrote  one  of  the  most  remarkable  poems  in  the 
language,  he  translated  Latin,   Greek,  Sanscrit,  and  a 
dozen  other  languages,  he  made  a  pilgrimage  to  Mecca 
in  disguise  at  the  risk  of  his  life,  he  explored  in  South 
America,  Egypt  and  India.    In  short,  he  lived  a  strenuous, 
adventurous,  exciting  life,  eager  in  the  pursuit  of  knowl- 
edge and  passionate  in  his  desire  for  accomplishment. 

41.  Burton  and  Villon,  and  the  other  characters  of 
history,  are  suggestive  of  plots  to  the  alert  and  imagina- 
tive writer.     Kipling  has  used  Burton  in  several  stories; 
his  wife's  biography  of  him  has  a  new  and  fascinating 
story  on  every  page. 

Art  and  Music. 

42.  In  much  the  same  way  the  works  of  art,  music 
and  imaginative  literature  are  suggestive  of  ideas  worthy 
of  development.    Almost  any  painting  that  contains  other 
qualities  than  mere   decoration,  such   as,   for  example, 
"Sacred  and  Profane  Love,"  will  suggest  a  story  to  the 
writer  with  a  keen  story  sense.     I  mention  "Sacred  and 
Profane  Love"  because  very  recently  I  read  an  extraor- 
dinary photoplay  of  the  spectacular  type  that  was  devel- 
oped from  the  idea  expressed  by  the  painter.    One  form 
of  stage  art  that  is  especially  suggestive  of  photoplay  plots 
is  the  pantomime,  which  is  having  a  renaissance  at  pres- 
ent.   The  various  harlequinades,  based  upon  the  old  but 

[18] 


ever  interesting  story  of  Pierrot,  Harlequin,  and  Colum- 
bine, are  an  excellent  source  of  story  material.  As  a  kind 
of  sub-plot,  such  a  harlequinade  was  employed  by  Lois 
Weber,  in  her  brilliant  photoplay  "For  Husbands  Only". 

The  Daily  Press. 

43.  As  history  is  the  record  of  the  past,  so  is  the 
daily  press  the  record  of  today.    It  has  been  stated  by  an 
authority  that  each  day's  newspaper  contains  plot  mate- 
rial which,  if  properly  developed,  would  bring  the  author 
twenty  thousands  dollars  in  royalties.     It  requires  very 
little  reading  of  the  press  to  indicate  the  truth  of  such  a 
statement,  for  on  every  page  there  is  the  record  of  emo- 
tional conflict,  of  romance,  of  pathos,  of  comedy,  of  ambi- 
tion, success  and  failure — all  grist  for  the  mill  of  the 
dramatist,  to  use  in  his  interpretation  of  life. 

44.  To  make  an  exhaustive  and  complete  survey  of 
the  plot  sources  we  have  considered  would  require  many 
volumes.     In  this  space  I  have  tried  merely  to  indicate 
by  suggestion  and  brief  comment  the  chief  classical  and 
modern  origins  of  plot  ideas.    An  acquaintance  with  the 
works  mentioned  will  give  the  writer  an  abundant  store 
of  plot  material. 

45.  But  it  should  be  remembered  that  the  value  of 
these  sources  depends  upon  the  ability  of  the  creator  to 
employ  them.     It  should  also  be  remembered  that  they 
are  merely  pages  from  the  Book  of  Life,  and  that  a  thor- 
ough study  of  Life  is  the  best  plot  source  of  all.    The 
sources  we  have  considered  are  of  value  because  they 
illustrate  the  kinds  of  experience  that  have  appealed  to 
the  spectators  and  readers  of  the  past;  they  are  artistic, 
well-selected  patterns,  designs,  and  suggestions  which  may 
be  made  beautiful  and  effective  by  imaginative  treatment. 

Familiar  Material. 

46.  Too  often  writers  seek  plots  far  afield  when  they 
would  have  better  success  by  studying  the  people  and  the 
life  of  the  street  in  which  they  live.     Some  one  has  said 
that  every  little  village  contains  everything,  in  some  de- 
gree, that  the  whole  world  contains.    This  is  certainly  true 
of  plot  material.     No  matter  where  you  live,  no  matter 

[19] 


•who  your  acquaintances  may  be,  there  are  stories  in  the  life 
that  goes  on  about  you.  Do  not  make  the  error  of  'writing 
Fifth  Avenue  stories  if  you  have  lived  your  life  in  a  small 
town,  for  there  is  a  better  drama  in  the  house  next  door 
than  there  is  on  Fifth  Avenue. 

47.  A  knowledge  of  literature,  philosophy  and  art 
will  broaden  the  outlook  of  a  writer,  and  will  prove  help- 
ful in  guiding  him  in  his  own  creative  efforts.    But  if  he 
does  not  possess  the  warm  human  sympathy  that  comes 
of  understanding,  if  he  does  not  know  Life  as  well  as  books 
about  life,  if  he  does  not  live,  suffer  and  triumph  with  the 
people  about  him,  he  will  fail  to  convey  their  emotions 
to  the  distant  reader.    The  plot  sources  I  have  suggested 
have  inspired  and  will  continue  to  inspire  creative  writers, 
but  one  must  also  study  diligently  in  the  Book  of  Life  of 
which  all  other  books  are  only  chapters. 

Conclusion. 

48.  In  all  history,  in  all  human  drama,  in  all  legends 
and  fables,  we  can  trace  the  combinations  of  only  thirty- 
six  dramatic  situations.     Drama  results  from  these  com- 
binations.   Next  to  a  knowledge  of  Life,  and  a  knowledge 
of  the  literature  in  which  Life  has  been  recorded,  an 
acquaintance  with  the  fundamental  dramatic  situation  is 
of  paramount  importance.    There  is  no  time  in  this  short 
space  to  take  up  this  question,  and  here  the  reader  should 
merely  try  to  remember  that  in  the  vast  panorama  of  life— 
from  the  prehistoric  myths  to  the  latest  product  of  the 
camera,  the  human  drama  has  been  the  result  of  multi- 
farious combinations  of  thirty-six  units. 

49.  Plots   are   everywhere,   plots   of   all   kinds,    all 
shapes,  all  colors.     Take  your  choice  and  set  to  work. 
Try  to  make  your  choice  a  good  one,  and  then  apply  your- 
self to  its  development  in  such  a  way  that  the  finished 
work  will  make  a  dramatic  and  pleasing  appeal  to  your 
audience. 


[20] 


University  of  California 

SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 

305  De  Neve  Drive  -  Parking  Lot  17  •  Box  951388 

LOS  ANGELES,  CALIFORNIA  90095-1388 

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